Contacts & Complaints

The Compact with Texans describes the department's services, principles,
and the process for filing complaints and requesting information. For
the purposes of this document, "customers" are defined as clients,
family members, advocates, taxpayers, public officials, service providers,
community based organizations, media, other agency representatives, and
other interested parties.

Vision

Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is a department that:

Delivers effective, efficient, and innovative client services that
are nationally recognized for excellence;

Supports its staff, who are highly motivated, well prepared for their
jobs, exhibit a strong sense of professionalism, and enjoy their work;

Builds strong, effective, and mutually valued partnerships with clients,
communities, and state leadership; and

Provides effective leadership that is accountable for its actions
and communicates openly with clients and stakeholders.

Mission

The mission of DFPS is to protect children, and adults who are elderly
or have a disability from abuse, neglect, and exploitation by working
with clients, families, and communities.

DFPS seeks to support, protect, and strengthen families and their members
at all stages of life. As a result we:

Protect the unprotected.

Include clients, families, and communities in our decision-making.

Find new and innovative approaches to get the job done.

Strive for excellence and are responsive to feedback from our customers.

Are accountable to our clients, stakeholders, and each other.

Are honest, respectful of others, and adhere to the highest ethical
principles.

Value diversity and deliver services that draw on the strengths of
each client's culture, ethnicity, and community.

Are committed to reducing disproportionate representation of minorities
in our client population.

Value our people and their individual talents.

Services

Child Protective Services

Conduct civil investigations of reported child abuse or neglect.

Protect children from abuse and neglect.

Promote the safety, integrity, and stability of families.

Provide temporary and permanent placement for children who cannot
safely remain with their own family.

Adult Protective Services

Investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults who are elderly or have a disability.

Investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults and children receiving services in certain settings serving persons with mental health or intellectual disabilities.

Provide or arrange protective services on an emergency basis as needed.

Child Care Licensing

Regulate child-care operations and child-placing agencies to protect
the health, safety, and well being of children in care by reducing the
risk of injury, abuse, and communicable disease.

Issue permits/licenses and monitor child-care operations and child-placing
agencies in compliance with minimum standards of care.

Inform parents and the public about child-care in general and about
the histories of specific homes and day-care operations in compliance
with minimum state standards.

Collaborate with other agencies and community-based organizations
to develop, a comprehensive and unified approach to deliver prevention
services in effort to avoid fragmentation and duplication of services.

Customer Service

Principles

As a Texas Health and Human Services department, we commit to providing
high quality services in a professional and ethical manner. In order to
do so, we will:

Treat our customers with courtesy and respect;

Ensure access to and provision of services is fair and equitable;

Implement new and creative approaches to improve quality of services;

Operate based on our customers' overall needs and feedback;

Provide understandable information in a variety of formats;

Ensure sound management of programs and funds;

Work in cooperation with customers;

Protect private information and share public information in accordance
with applicable laws.

Standards

Texans can expect to receive high quality services from all Texas Health
and Human Services departments. To meet this expectation, we will:

Process applications and respond to contacts accurately and within
required timeframes;

Employ courteous and knowledgeable staff;

Respond appropriately to language or other special needs;

Expand access to information and services, such as by Internet and
phone;

Provide services in safe facilities and comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA).

DFPS Delivery Standards

Abuse Hotline (Statewide Intake)

Toll-free, statewide telephone reporting system

Average hold time of 8.7 minutes or less.

Child Protective Services

Investigations

Priority I: Initiated within 24 hours of the department's receipt of
the report.

Priority II: Initiated within 72 hours of the department's
receipt of the report.

DFPS must achieve permanency for children who are in DFPS conservatorship
and who are in adoptive placement. When DFPS has temporary legal custody
of a child, legal permanency must be achieved within 12 months, with the
possibility of a 180-day extension that must be granted by the court.

Adult Protective Services

Investigations in Facility Settings (all but State Supported Living Centers)
The investigator makes a face-to-face contact with the victim within the timelines established by the priority of the case.

Priority I: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 24 hours of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Priority II: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within three calendar days of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Priority III: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within seven calendar days of receipt of the report by DFPS

In State Supported Living Centers: The APS specialist makes a face-to-face contact with the victim within the timelines established by the priority of the case. All State Supported Living Center investigations are designated as either Priority I or II.

Priority I: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 24 hours of department's receipt of the report.

Priority II: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 3 calendar days of department's receipt of the report.

In-Home Investigations:

Priority I: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 24 hours of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Priority II: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 3 calendar days of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Priority III: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 7 calendar days of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Priority IV: Face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is made within 14 calendar days of receipt of the report by DFPS.

Child Care Licensing

Initial application for license, registration or listed family homes

Written notification of decision to accept or return of application
will be sent within 21 calendar days of receipt by department.

Subsequent applications

Day Care: Review application within 14 calendar days of department's
receipt of the report.

Residential Care: Review application within 21 calendar days of
department's receipt of the report.

Investigations

Priority I: Initiated within 24 hours of department's receipt of the
report.

Priority II: Initiated within 10 calendar days of department's receipt
of the report.

Priority III: Initiated within 15 calendar of department's receipt
of the report.

Contacts & Complaints

Complaint Process

The DFPS Office of Consumer Affairs acts as a neutral party in reviewing
formal complaints regarding case-specific activities of the program areas
of DFPS. The Office of Consumer Affairs researches complaints and advises
the complainant of findings within the limits of confidentiality required
by the Texas Open Records Act and the Texas Family Code.

If you believe one of the program areas of DFPS has not acted appropriately
in a situation involving you, you have a right to complain and to be treated
fairly and with dignity. The Office of Consumer Affairs can make recommendations
for corrective action when warranted. The Office of Consumer Affairs cannot
do certain things such as: change proper findings arrived at within statutory
guidelines; review orders or actions of a court; or review actions of
law enforcement.

The Office of Consumer Affairs acknowledges receipt of each complaint.
Complaints are initiated within three business days and completed within
thirty business days. An acknowledgment letter is sent in response to
written complaints within three business days of receipt of the complaint.

The Office of Consumer Affairs also conducts informal reviews of Child
Protective Services case-specific findings that designate an individual
as an alleged perpetrator of neglect or abuse. This review is the final
step in the due process afforded by DFPS.

Hotlines

DFPS offers several hotlines to get help, depending on the type of question or complaint you have. Please see DFPS Hotlines and Information Lines
for a detailed list of Hotlines.

Health and Human Services Ombudsman

For further assistance, contact the Office of the Ombudsman. Office of the Ombudsman refers and responds to calls and correspondence, working closely with health and human services agencies' leadership, management and program staff.

The HHSC OIG is responsible for investigation of waste, abuse and fraud in health and human services programs. The OIG provides
oversight of HHS activities, providers, and recipients through compliance
and enforcement activities designed to identify and reduce waste, abuse,
or fraud; and improve efficiency and effectiveness within the HHS system.